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Biochar, soil and land-use interactions that reduce nitrate leaching and N2O emissions: A meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Biochar can reduce both nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions and nitrate (NO 3-) leaching, but refining biochar's use for estimating these types of losses remains elusive. For example, biochar properties such as ash content and labile organic compounds may induce transient effects that alter N-based losses. Thus, the aim of this meta-analysis was to assess interactions between biochar-induced effects on N 2 O emissions and NO 3- retention, regarding the duration of experiments as well as soil and land use properties. Data were compiled from 88 peer-reviewed publications resulting in 608 observations up to May 2016 and corresponding response ratios were used to perform a random effects meta-analysis, testing biochar's impact on cumulative N 2 O emissions, soil NO 3- concentrations and leaching in temperate, semi-arid, sub-tropical, and tropical climate. The overall N 2 O emissions reduction was 38%, but N 2 O emission reductions tended to be negligible after one year. Overall, soil NO 3- concentrations remained unaffected while NO 3- leaching was reduced by 13% with biochar; greater leaching reductions (>26%) occurred over longer experimental times (i.e. >30 days). Biochar had the strongest N 2 O-emission reducing effect in paddy soils (Anthrosols) and sandy soils (Arenosols). The use of biochar reduced both N 2 O emissions and NO 3- leaching in arable farming and horticulture, but it did not affect these losses in grasslands and perennial crops. In conclusion, the time-dependent impact on N 2 O emissions and NO 3- leaching is a crucial factor that needs to be considered in order to develop and test resilient and sustainable biochar-based N loss mitigation strategies. Our results provide a valuable starting point for future biochar-based N loss mitigation studies.
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“The three cited reviews (Nguyen et al., 2017;Q. Liu et al., 2018;Borchard et al., 2019) agree that overall, biochar leads to a reduction of nitrate leaching and N 2 O emissions.”
From Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides (2021) · cites this paper as Borchard et al., 2019
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“Specific cases where nitrogen leaching was significantly increased were found in sub-humid temperate climates, for Fluvisol and Luvisol soils or when fertilizer N application rates were above 300 kg ha -1 .”
From Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides (2021) · cites this paper as Borchard et al., 2019
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“The strongest reduction in N 2 O emissions was observed for paddy soils and sandy soils via meta-analysis (Borchard et al. 2019).”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Borchard et al. 2019
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“Biochar produced from wood is the best candidate (Borchard et al. 2019).”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Borchard et al. 2019
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“The meta-analysis by Borchard et al. (2019) suggested that the effectiveness would remain effective only in the first year of biochar application.”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Borchard et al. (2019)
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“contrary to Nguyen et al. (2017), nitrate concentrations on average remained unaffected.”
From Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides (2021) · cites this paper as Borchard et al., 2019
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“the majority of biochar amendments reduced nitrate leaching and N 2 O emissions by -13% and -38% on average, respectively.”
From Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides (2021) · cites this paper as Borchard et al., 2019
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“This occurred across many studies with different feedstock materials, biochar properties, soil textures, chemical soil properties, soil types, crops, application rates and additional N fertilization.”
From Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides (2021) · cites this paper as Borchard et al., 2019
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“The global meta-analysis by Borchard et al. (2019) suggested that biochar application could mitigate soil N 2 O emissions by 38% on average.”
From Role of biochar toward carbon neutrality (2023) · cites this paper as Borchard et al. (2019)
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Citations
Cites
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Joseph, S., Cowie, A. L., Van Zwieten, L., Bolan, N., Budai, A., Buss, W., Cayuela, M. L., Graber, E. R., Ippolito, J. A., Kuzyakov, Y., et al. (2021) · GCB Bioenergy · doi:10.1111/gcbb.12885 · Cited by 1,090
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Biochar in climate change mitigation
Lehmann, J., Cowie, A., Masiello, C. A., Kammann, C., Woolf, D., Amonette, J. E., Cayuela, M. L., Camps-Arbestain, M., & Whitman, T. (2021) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/s41561-021-00852-8 · Cited by 970
Self-citationIppolito, J. A., Cui, L., Kammann, C., Wrage-Mönnig, N., Estavillo, J. M., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Cayuela, M. L., Sigua, G., Novak, J., Spokas, K., et al. (2020) · Biochar · doi:10.1007/s42773-020-00067-x · Cited by 927
Self-citationBiochar and its importance on nutrient dynamics in soil and plant
Hossain, M. Z., Bahar, M. M., Sarkar, B., Donne, S. W., Ok, Y. S., Palansooriya, K. N., Kirkham, M. B., Chowdhury, S., & Bolan, N. (2020) · Biochar · doi:10.1007/s42773-020-00065-z · Cited by 904
Metadata
- Authors
- Borchard, N., Schirrmann, M., Cayuela, M. L., Kammann, C., Wrage-Mönnig, N., Estavillo, J. M., Fuertes-Mendizábal, T., Sigua, G., Spokas, K., Ippolito, J. A., & Novak, J.
- Affiliations
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI)
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (DE)
- Hochschule Geisenheim University (DE)
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Colorado State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Borchard, Nils
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-02
- Volume
- 651
- Issue
- Pt 2
- Pages
- 2354-2364
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2897569712
- Cited by
- 592
- References
- 96
- Citations by year
- 2026: 76 · 2025: 86 · 2024: 81 · 2023: 93 · 2022: 95 · 2021: 76 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 32
- FWCI
- 3.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) (submittedVersion)
- Jukuri (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- USDA (6657-12130-002-08I)
- Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
- Fundación Séneca (19281/PI/14)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Keywords
- biochar, nitrous oxide emissions, nitrate leaching, soil nitrogen retention, land use, paddy soil, sandy soil, arable farming, horticulture, grassland, perennial crops, nitrogen loss reduction, soil organic carbon, ash content, experimental duration
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